Compare towns
Dennis vs Dover vs Harwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dennis has the most renters (21.1% rent).
Dover has the highest household income ($250k).
Harwich has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Dennis | Dover | Harwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,868Highest |
5,930Lowest |
13,598 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+9.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 59.5±2Highest 49% above MA |
44.9±2.3Lowest 12% above MA |
58.6±1.5 47% above MA |
| Dennis and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
11.7%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.8%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Dennis and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Dennis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,154±$10kLowest 15% below MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$96,966±$13k 7% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,100±$28kLowest 12% above MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$658,600±$26k 17% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,420±$260Lowest 19% below MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$2,017±$738 14% above MA |
| Dover and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,877Lowest 52% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,189 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.2%±9.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.7%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Dennis and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 17% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
25 min 14% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.3%±4.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #238 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA | #157 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dennis-Yarmouth | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Monomoy Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
11.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.